Feeler mechanism for looms.



E. S'. STIMPSON.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. I916.

1,250,380. I Patented De0.18,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- I HIIHHIIHI HHI F:- l

ID LO q n & v

"@ \n'venlorx.

Edward S. Stirnpson.

E. S. STIMPSON.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 2. ms.

1 250 380 Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.2.

Inventor. Edward $.SIirnp8on, WMWL M A'i'ty s.

" inent'between the feeler members will cause a-relatively extensive movement adapted to UNITED STATESYPATENT onnion.

nnwann s. s'rnrrson, or nornnann, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNYOR, BY iansm: ASSIGN- mnn'rs, T nwnn CORPORATION, or HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPOBA TION or mama.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

"Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

Application filed February 2 1916. Serial No. 75,801.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. STIMPSON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanism for Looms, of which the following deseriptiomin connection with the accompanying drawing, is a -specification, like characters on the drawlng =representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in feeler mechanisms for looms in WhlCh the feeler comprises two relatively movable 7 .members acting upon the filling carrier of v relatively to one another upon substantial the active shuttle and adapted to be moved exhaustion of filling and thereby to initiate the action of mechanism for causing a "change in the operation of the loom.

In feeler mechanisms of this type the relative movement between the members of detection of substantial absence of filling is likely-to result.

Oneof the objects of the presentsinvention isto provide a feeler of this type with means whereby the yarn-engaging end of the feeler-members will be moved automatiyarn mass upon the filling carrier to posi- 'tion the same properly with 4O cally vertically upon engagement with the path of the filling carrier. v Another object of the invention is to provide means for more delicately adjusting the cooperating elements of the feeler.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby a slight relative moveactuate a transmitter for positioning the controlling 'latchlin thepath of the moving "actuator.

Another object of the invention lsto pro-.

vide a novel formof transmitter in which the elevating ofone member of the transmitter by the feeler mechanism wlllcause respect to the the elevation of the opposite end of the transmitter member to raise the controller latch intothe path of a moving actuator.

Another object of the present invention I is to provide a simple form of feeler mechanism which may be readily applied to a usual type of loom and which will increase the efficiency of the loom.

Other objects of the invention will fully appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view, centrally broken away, of a usual form of Northrop loom with a preferred form of the feeler mechanism embodying the present invention ap-' plied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a view of the feeler mechanism and transmitter looking towardthe end of the feeler, I

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the feeler casing or guide and the feeler members mounted therein,

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the feeler guidejshowing the reciprocating members in elevatiom mor Fig. 5 is a side elevationof the feelery mechanism showing the same engaged by the filling carrier and positioned to effect a change in the operation of the loom, and,

Fig; 6 is an end view ofthe feeler, a portion of the casing being broken away and shown in section. Y

A-preferred embodiment of my invention v is illustrated herein as applied to the Norbattery 5 adapted to contain a'plurality 0fthrop type of loom, the parts shown, which are of well known construction, cdm'prising' the p filling carriers, the transfer arm 6 operable.

nisms for detecting absence or failurei-tufv filling includ nism 8.

The shuttle box 3 is shown 'as containing the running shuttle 10 provided ,with'a bobbin 11 which has a plain'cylindrical -barrel 12 upon which the filling 13 is wound'un'n formly and without the usual feeling bunch. The shuttle and shuttle box are,

through the usual mechanism notshown, which is governed'through the controller shaft 7 and controller latch 7, bymechaj; 1

E001 7 ing the weft fork feeling mechan 45 c1ple involved herein resides in mounting arm . the feeler casing may be adjustably secured to the feeler stand by bolts 24 extending through elongated slots'25 in said stand.

Theupper and lower members of the feeler casing may conveniently be secured together to permit the removal of the feeler mechanism as a whole by one or more screws 26.

The main portion of the feeler casing may conveniently be constructed inthe form of a rectangular guideway, the side 28, and ends 29 and 30 preferably being formed integrally with the extensions 22. The opposite vertical side-31 and 1 top 32 may also be formed integral with .the end 29 limi sthe movement of the yarn impinging member of the feeler.

the extension 23, the top 32 desira ly bein provided with an integral boss 33 adapte pivota-lly to support a cam, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described.

The feeler which enters the shuttle and feels upon the bobbin or other filling carrier may, in so far as this invention relates broadly to means for automatically positioning the feeler properly in respect to the filling carrier, comprising two relatively movable members which enter the shuttle and are actuated by engagement with the filling carrier therein until substantial exhaustionof filling, de-- tected by one of said, members, causes a relative movement between said feeling members which is utilized to initiate the action of mechanism for efiecting a change in the operation of the loom, since the broad printhe horizontal reciprocable feeling member in such a manner as to permit a free vertical movement of their filling. engaging ends; and in so designing the end of one, that upon engagement with the yarn mass on the bobbin, it will instantly raise or lower the filling engaging ends of both to the most effective position. This may conveniently be accomplished by providing the yarn engaging member with a re'elntrant,

preferably concave, face adapted circumfer-- entially to engage the cylindrical surface of the yarn upon the bobbin so that upon con tact therewith the feeler will be raised or lowered until the horizontal central plane of the yarn engaging face substantially c'oincides with the path of movement of the axis of the bobbin.

While this principle of construction may the bottom 27 be of substantially any typenee -see be of general application it is illustrated 'atively movable penetrating member 38, the

end of which preferably is in the form of a vertical knife-edge 39 normally lying substantially in the plane of the extremities of the reentrant face of the yarn impinging member.

The yarn impingin member of the feeler is provided with a bo y portion 40, slidably mounted in an aperture 41 in the end 29 of the casing and is maintained normally in extended position by a helical spring 42 abutting at .one end against the inner face of the casing end 29 and at the other end against-an external shoulder or flan e 43 on the body 40. The outer end of the ody 40 is provided with a flange 44, of greater diameter. than the aperture 41 in the casing, which, abuttin against the outer face of The opposlte end 30 of the casing is provided with an aperture 46 of greater ver-:

tical-width than the thickness of the exten- Y sion or yarn impinging member which passes through it so that the latter may have a free vertical movement. The extended portion of the impinging member to permit a ver= 35 is preferably tapered so that as it is being thrust into the casing it will have an increasing amplitude of vertical movement which will enable it readily to be properly positioned on the filling carrier notwithstanding the arcuate path of the axis of the filling carrier. 7 r

A plunger 47 resting upon a spring 48 in i a vertical aperture in a boss 49 on the casing 27 is preferably provided to support the yarn impinging member in substantially normal position while permitting the same to be raised or lowered when the reentrant end 37 of the member engages the filling upon an inaccurately positioned bobbin.

The halves of the ody portion 40 of the impinging member areprovided near its.

extension 35 with bosses 50 between which the elbow 51 of a bell crank lever is pivoted, one arm 52 of said lever depending in the path of a shoulder or head 53 on the pone-- trat-ing member, the other arm 54 of said I lever being adapted to engage the end 55 of a. transmitter arm when the penetrating member is moved relatively to the yarn impinging member of the feeler. 'A helical spring 56 located in the chamber 57 is seated at one end upon the end of an adjusting screw 58 and abutting at its opposite end I which it is compo against the arm 52 of the bell crank lever, which in turn engages the head 53 on the penetrating member 38, serves the double purpose of maintaining the end of the penetrating member normally projected beyond the concave face 37 of the impinging member and also of retaining the bell crank arms 52, 54 normally in the ino erative po sition shown in Fig. 4. By a vancin or retracting the screw 58 the amount 0 resistance imposed upon the penetrating member 39 may be regulated to conform to the character of the fillin being used. A screw 59 extending o liquely through the bosses 5'0 and having its end engaging the arm 52 of the bell crank lever provides "ment of the lay both-the yarn im ingiug member and the penetrating mem r are carried forward together, without relative movement therebetween so that the bell crank leveris not actuated to engage the transmitter. When however, the penetrat ing member 39 encounters an impenetrable medium such as the barrel of the bobbin it will be forced inwardly relatively to the inclosing yarn impinging member thus actuating the arm 52, of the bell cran k lever and raising the transmitter engaging arm 54.

Inasmuch as this movement by the feeler of the transmitter engaging arm is relatively slight, and also because a relatively strong I Three is required to -actuate the transmitter,

an adjustabl'y mounted cam mechanism is provided herein which may be accurately positioned in respect to the "transmitter engaging arm'o'f said bell crank lever, and

i which will amplify the movement thereof to fl tivl y actuate the transmitter.

. V As-illustrated herein this mechanism com- 1prises a substantially horizontal member 60 aving an upwardly extending lug 61 which is pivotally mounted upon a. bolt- 62 extendin through the lug 33 on the casing, one en of said member 60 being rovided with an inclined or cam surface a apted toengage a stud. 64 which projects laterally from the transmitter engaging arm 54 when the latter is raised by the aforesaid relative movement of. the penetrating member to the 4 is engaged impinging member, so that further movement of the feeler members in unison will cause the lug 64 to ride up over the inclined face 63 thereby positively forcing the end 55 of the transmitter upwardly.

In order to insure cooperative relation between the lug 64 and the member 60 notwithstanding the slight relative movement between the yarn impinging and penetrating members, the lug 64 desirably is formed with a flat horizontal upper face and a curved edge beneath which en agement with the inclined portion 63 of t e member 60 will be effective.

The member 60 also preferably is made adjustable so that it may be positioned ac- .lower face, forming at their junction an V 'curately in respect to the In '64. As illustrated herein this is accom-p ished by provlding an extension or tail 65 of said member 60 with an adjusting screw 66 bearing upon the top of the casing and interposing I v a spring 67 between'the lug 61 on said member 60 and a suitable abutment 68 on the v casing, which may be "an ofiset portion of the lug 33, in such? a manner as to retain the end of the "adjusting screw in contact with the casing while permitting the member 60 to rock about its pivot as the lug 64 rides, up over the same.

It will be noted that the feeler mechanism heretofore described, upon detection of substantial exhaustion of filling. raises the adjacent end of the transmitter 55, instead of depressing it as is usual in looms in which the controller latch 7 is raised into the path I of the Weft hammer 961 other moving actu- The presentinvention therefore in. i 1

ator. cludes a novel form of transmitter in which the elevation ofthe end engaged by the feeler member will simultaneously raise the controller latch. 1 The preferred form of transmitter illustrated herein comprises a stand '70 which may be adjustably secured toa boss 71 on the shipper stand 17 on the breast beamj l or an extension thereof, said stand having a pair of adjacent studs 72, 73 upon which inter-engaging toothed members or segmental gears 74, 74 are mounted, said toothed-f members being provided with oppositely dis osed bosses or sockets 75, 76 in one of whlch is seated the transmitter'ann 55 which 7 v bfiy the arm 54- of the bell crank lever of the eeler mechanism, theother boss or socket 76 supporting an arm 77 under lying the usual controllerl'atch 7. It will be obviousthat by this construction the raising of the end of the transmitter arm 55 will cause the elevation of the opposite and of the arm 77 thereby raising the controller latch into the path of the weft. hammer so that upon the next forward movement of the latter transfer of the filling carrier in the running shuttle or such other change in the operation of the loom as may be called for by the usual mechanisms, will be effected.

In the operation of the loom, as will be obvious from the foregoing description, the filling carrier upon thebeating up of the lay Will be engaged by the end of the impinging member 35 of the feeler mechanism, the reentrant end of said member actin to position properly said member in relatlon to the path of the axis of the filling carrier. When the filling is nearly exhausted the penetrating member 38 will be engaged by the barrel of the filling carrier and will be moved relatively to the impinging member thereby actuating the arm 52 of the bell crank lever, raising its transmitter engaging arm 54 so that the stud '64 will ride'up over the inclined or cam surface 63 upon the member 60, thereby elevating the end of the transmitter arm 55.

This arm movin upon its pivot 72 will cause the member 8 to raise the opposite arm 77 of the transmitter and through it elevate the controller latch 7 into the path of the vibrating actuator, the weft hammer 9 thus initiating the action of the transfer mechanism or effecting such other change in Ehe operation of the loom as may be called The adjustability of the cam member 60 which amplifies the movement of the transmitter engaging arm 54 permits a very delicate positioning of the parts which will insure the operatlon of the transfer mechanism even though the relative movement between the penetrating member 39 and the impinging member 35 be very slight.

It will be understood that the mechanism described herein is an illustrative embodiment of my invention and is not restrictive and that various changes in constructionand arrangement of parts may be made within the. spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letmechanism for effecting a change in the operation of the loom.

2. Controlling mechanism for looms comprising horizontally reciprocable and verti cally movable impinging and penetrating members adapted to enter an active shuttle and feel upon the filling mass of a filling carrier therein, means for automatically positioning said members in the path of the axis of the filling carrier, means for causing relative movement between said impinging and penetrating members upon the engage ment by the said penetrating member with an impenetrable medium on the filling carrier and means operable by said relative movement to initiate the action of mechanism for effecting a' change in the operation of a loom.

3. Controlling mechanism for looms comprising a horizontally reciprocable and vertically movable impinging member having a reentrant face adapted, upon the beating up of the lay, circumferentially to engage the yarn mass upon the filling carrier of an active shuttle and to be reciprocated thereby, a spring actuated penetratin member telescopically mounted within said impingin member and having its end projecting Within the limits of said reentrant face adapted to be moved relatively to said impinging member when engaged 'by an im, penetrable medium on said filling carrier, and means actuated by said relative movement to initiate the action of mechanism for effecting a change in the operation of the loom.

4. Controlling mechanism for looms comprising a horizontally reciprocable and vertically movable impinging member having a reentrant face adapted, upon the beating up of the lay, circumferentially to engage the yarn mass upon the filling carrier of an active shuttle and to be reciprocated thereby, a spring actuated penetrating member having a vertical edge, adapted to enter between adjacent spirals of the yarn upon the filling carrier, located within the limits of said reentrant face and adapted to be moved relatively to said impinging member when engaged by the barrel of said filling carrier and means operable by said relative move-' ment to initiate the action of mechanism for effecting a change in the operation of the loom.

5. Controlling mechanism for looms comprising a horizontally reciprocable and vertically movable impinging member having a reentrant face adapted, upon the beating up of the lay, circumferentially to engage the yarn mass upon the filling carrier of an active shuttle and to be reciprocated thereby, a spring actuated penetrating member telescopically mounted within said impinging member and having its end projecting within the limits of said reentrant' face, adapted to be moved relatively to said impinging member when engaged by an impenetrable medium on said filling carrier, a bell crank lever mounted upon said impinging member operable by the relative movement of said penetrating member to actuate mechanism for effecting a change in the operation of the loom.

6. A controller for looms comprising a horizontally reciprocable spring actuated and vertically movable yieldably supported yarn impinging member having a reentrant face, a penetrating member telescopically -mounted within said impinging member and movable relatively thereto upon engagement with an impenetrable medium on said filling carrier, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted upon said yarn impinging member and having one arm projecting in the path of said penetrating member and the other arm adapted to engage a transmitter for operating mechanism to efiect a change in the operation of the loom and a spring within said impinging member operatively located normally to retain said bell crank lever in inoperative position and the penetrating member in extended position.

7. A controller for looms comprising a horizontally reciprocable spring actuated and vertically movable yieldably supportedyarn impinging member having a rentrant face, a penetrating member telescopically mounted within said impinging member and movable relatively thereto upon engagement with an impenetrable medium on said filling carrier, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted upon said yarn impinging member and having one'arm projecting in the path of said penetrating member and the other arm adapted to engage a transmitter for -oper-- ating mechanism to efi'ect a change in the operation of the loom and a spring within said impinging member operatively located normally to retain said bell crank lever in inoperative position and the penetrating member in extended position, and means for adjusting the pressure upon said spring whereby the same may be regulated to control the force required to cause relative movement between the penetrating and the impinging members.

8. Controlling mechanism for looms comprising a guide, a horizontally reciprocable and vertically movable yarn impinging member mounted therein, a penetrating member carried by said yarn impinging member and movable relatively thereto upon engagement with an impenetrable medium on said fillin carrier upon substantial ex- 'hausti n of lling, means operable by said relative movement to engage a transmitter,

' and means operable by the continued movemember carried by said yarn impinging member and movable relatively thereto u on engagement with an impenetrable medium on said filling carrier upon substantial exhaustion of filling, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted upon. said impinging member operable by said relative movement to engage a transmitter forcausing the actuation of mechanism to effect a change in the operation of the loom and a cam engaged by said bell crank lever when actuated by said relative movement to amplify the movement of said transmitter.

l0. Controlling mechanism for looms comprising a guide, a horizontally reciprocable and vertically movable yarn impinging member mounted therein, a penetrating member carried by said yarn impinging member and movable relatively thereto upon engagement with an impenetrable medium on said filling carrier upon substantial. e haustion of filling, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted upon said impinging member operable by said relative movement to engage a transmitter forcausing the actuation of mechanism to efi'ect a change in the operation of the loom, a cam consistin of a member pivotally mounted upon sai guide and having an inclined face adapted to engage said bell crank lever and resilient means for permitting a pivotal movement of said cam.

11. Controlling mechanism for looms comprising a guide, a horizontally reciprocable and vertically movable yarn impinging member mounted therein, a penetrating member carried b said yarn impinging member and movab e relatively thereto upon engagement with an impenetrable medium on said fillin carrier u on substantial exhaustion of'fi ling, a bel crank lever pivotally mounted upon said impinging member operable by said relative movement to engage a transmittervfor causing the actuation of said cam relatively to said bel crank lever.

12. A controlling mechanism for looms comprising a guide, a yarnimpinging memchambered complementary halveshaving a ber mounted 1n said guide consisting of two rentrant yarn engaging face slida mounted in said guide, means for permitting the vertical.- movement of said member,-

a yarn impinging member telescopically mounted in the chamber in said penetrating 7 member, a bell crank lever pivotall mountengaging said penetrating member, a spring ed intermediate of lugs prQJecting rom said complementary halves, one arm of said lever. A

within said chamber engaging said bell crank lever, means for adjusting the compression of said spring and a transmitter adapted to cause theaction of mechanism to efiect a change in the operation of the loom lying in the path of the other arm of said bell crank lever, whereby upon engagement by said enetrating member with the barrel of the lling carrier upon substantial ex haustion of filling the actuation of said bell crank leverwill operate said transmitter to cause a change in the operation of the loom.

13. A feeler for looms comprising a substantially rectangular hollow guide formed in two complementary parts and having flanges adapted to be secured together and to a means of support; a yarn impinging lmeniber adapted to feel upon the filling of an active shuttle, slidably mounted in said guide and having a' head provided with curved surfaces bearing upon the end wall of said guide adapted to permit vertical movement of the filling engaging end of said impinging member, a penetrating member telescopically carried by said impinging member and movable relatively thereto and means adapted upon said relative movement caused by the engagement of the impinging member with the barrel of the filling carrier upon substantial exhaustion of filling to initiate the action of mechanism for eifecting a change in the operation of the loom.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD S. STIMPSON. 

